Tim Roth Joins the ILO in Asking You to Hold Up Your Red Card

]]>http://hellogiggles.com/tim-roth-joins-the-ilo-in-asking-you-to-hold-up-your-red-card/feed/0Can We Stop Malaria Without Spraying Deadly Pesticides All Over Everything?http://hellogiggles.com/can-we-stop-malaria-without-spraying-deadly-pesticides-all-over-everything/
http://hellogiggles.com/can-we-stop-malaria-without-spraying-deadly-pesticides-all-over-everything/#commentsThu, 22 Aug 2013 16:00:55 +0000Karrine Steffanshttp://hellogiggles.com/?p=173191This Has Been Bothering Me: In learning about the malaria epidemic, namely in parts of Africa, I kept hearing the number-one line of...

Can We Stop Malaria Without Spraying Deadly Pesticides All Over Everything?

]]>http://hellogiggles.com/can-we-stop-malaria-without-spraying-deadly-pesticides-all-over-everything/feed/1My Teenager’s Afternoon with Katharine McPhee for Malaria No Morehttp://hellogiggles.com/my-teenagers-afternoon-with-katharine-mcphee-for-malaria-no-more/
http://hellogiggles.com/my-teenagers-afternoon-with-katharine-mcphee-for-malaria-no-more/#commentsTue, 20 Aug 2013 20:00:00 +0000Karrine Steffanshttp://hellogiggles.com/?p=173063This past weekend, my 15-year-old son was invited to Pizza With An Icon, a program in which a group of young adults meet...

My Teenager’s Afternoon with Katharine McPhee for Malaria No More

This past weekend, my 15-year-old son was invited to Pizza With An Icon, a program in which a group of young adults meet with a public figure to discuss that person’s charity or cause of choice and concern.

Thank you to my friend Bonnie Abaunza for inviting my son to the event, which was filmed at Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios, in California.

You Know Katharine McPhee:

Actress and Columbia recording artist Katharine McPhee spent the past two years shooting the highly anticipated Steven Spielberg/NBC TV series SMASH in New York City. Katharine is currently in the studio working on her next solo record, due out later this year. The album will feature McPhee’s collaborations with some of the industry’s top songwriters, including Linda Perry (Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, Pink), Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse, Fergie, Nas), Sia (Rihanna, Beyonce), The Dream (Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Rihanna) and Ryan Tedder (Maroon 5, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Clarkson).

McPhee’s self-titled debut album exploded on the Billboard 200. It was also the best chart debut for a female artist during that period in two years. In addition to her acting and singing career, Katharine is a passionate philanthropist and currently is the celebrity ambassador for Malaria No More.

Katharine has co-starred in the hit Adam Sandler comedy movie House Bunny and co-starred in episodes of CSI-NY, Community and The Family Guy. Katharine was featured on two hit PBS specials – Foster and Friends and Chris Botti in Boston alongside STING, Andrea Bocelli and John Mayer.

Get to Know Malaria No More:

Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths. We’re helping the world get it done by engaging global leaders, rallying the public, and delivering life-saving tools and education to families across Africa. Founded in 2006 by media executive Peter Chernin and UN Special Envoy for Malaria Ray Chambers, Malaria No More is working to create a world in which no one dies from a mosquito bite.

Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that nonetheless remains one of the top three child-killing diseases in the world, taking the life of a child under age five every minute of the day in Africa. About 85% of malaria deaths occur in children under five, and over 90% occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Malaria can be effectively prevented by the nightly use of an insecticide-treated bed net and targeted indoor spraying and can be rapidly diagnosed and treated with tools that together cost as little as $1 per child. Malaria used to be a top killer of children here in the U.S., and eradicating it was the reason for the founding of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which helped end American malaria deaths in 1951.

Malaria No More is headquartered in New York City, with 20 staff members; has a Policy & Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., with 5 staff; a Director of Entertainment Industry Relations based in Los Angeles; and program- matic staff based in Cameroon, Chad, Senegal and Tanzania. We also have affiliate organizations in Canada, the UK, the Netherlands and Japan.

My Teenager’s Take:

Meeting Katharine McPhee and talking about the issue of Malaria in Africa was a very interesting and informative experience. Hearing her story helped me and the other kids understand the depth of the situation and just how much it affects the African population. We got to see videos of her in Africa, with the people. We watched her go out there and give help to everyone who needed it. It was a great experience and it was great to learn that a problem like this, that can be easily solved by giving people access to mosquito nets, is being solved by Malaria No More and the help a regular girl from California.​

Being there was a great experience and I do plan to be a part of more Pizza With An Icon events. Getting to know the kids, meeting Katharine, having pizza with everyone, learning about important global issues like malaria, and being able to see Hans Zimmer’s studio was all really amazing and is something I would want to do again, very soon.

]]>http://hellogiggles.com/my-teenagers-afternoon-with-katharine-mcphee-for-malaria-no-more/feed/0UN x ILO: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoplehttp://hellogiggles.com/un-x-ilo-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-people/
http://hellogiggles.com/un-x-ilo-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-people/#commentsFri, 09 Aug 2013 14:30:09 +0000Karrine Steffanshttp://hellogiggles.com/?p=171792August 9, 2013 marks the United Nation’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous People –– a day and a cause of which many of us...

UN x ILO: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

Here is what I have learned during the upstart of my work with the United Nations’ International Labour Organization about IDWIP 2013:

What is the IDWIP?

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995 – 2004). -UN.org

What is This Year’s Theme?

The focus of this year’s International Day is “Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements.”

The theme aims to highlight the importance of honouring arrangements between States, their citizens and indigenous peoples that were designed to recognize indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands and establish a framework for living in proximity and entering into economic relationships. Agreements also outline a political vision of different sovereign peoples living together on the same land, according to the principles of friendship, cooperation and peace. -UN.org

My Personal Take on IDWIP:

In brief…

There were people who were here first — people who are, indeed, indigenous. Many of these people are people of color or, as some governments would like us to believe, minorities. But, I believe, that we are all citizens of the world and, when we are all added up, these minorities, we minorities, aren’t so minor, after all.

I believe that race and the manmade phenomenon of racial supremacy had and has a lot to do with the overtaking, raping, and draining of indigenous people, their lands and resources.

And when you deplete them, you deplete us.

When a group of people believe they are better because there seems to be more of them at any particular time or because they base their strength on the weapons they hold and the evil they possess, horrible things can happen.

And they have.

I believe the manmade phenomenon of money and the greed it breeds is also to blame for the systematic tearing down of all that is original and respectful to the way life was meant to be lived. I believe in a God who gave us enough and maybe even more than we need and that we can sustain ourselves off the land, air, and water provided if we do so with the care and consideration known by indigenous people.

They have so much to teach us.

I question society and the corporations that run and influence our governments. The corporations that are buying and stealing land rights to harbor minerals, oil, precious metals, water and other resources with no care of the indigenous people who actually live on that land, not because they wish to bleed it dry but because it is all they know, love, and respect.

Qualities societies and governments can stand to learn.​

Here inlays my digression. And now…

A Message from Q’orianka Kilcher

Human Rights and Environmental Activist and Actress

]]>http://hellogiggles.com/un-x-ilo-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-people/feed/0In the Pursuit of Understanding and Involvement of a New Generationhttp://hellogiggles.com/in-the-pursuit-of-understanding-and-involvement-of-a-new-generation/
http://hellogiggles.com/in-the-pursuit-of-understanding-and-involvement-of-a-new-generation/#commentsSat, 03 Aug 2013 18:00:05 +0000Karrine Steffanshttp://hellogiggles.com/?p=171059Moving onward in my career as an author, I have made the conscious decision to dedicate the bulk of my life and...

In the Pursuit of Understanding and Involvement of a New Generation

Moving onward in my career as an author, I have made the conscious decision to dedicate the bulk of my life and subsequent works to the causes and campaigns of agencies such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the International Labour Organization.

I claim not to know all about the what goes on in the world but I have, for the better part of a decade, listened and learned as my friends who service the aforementioned agencies have spoken. I have read and watched videos of both, inspiring and frightening events in parts of the world many of us can barely pronounce much less know exist.

I have been affected by the eyes of children fighting wars, defeated by hunger and lying dead amongst the rubble and I have been forever changed.

Most articles about such heavy-hitting, worldly topics are lengthy and utilize words and phrases that seem to engage an automatic snooze button in this society of microwaveable information.

And I get that.

So, as I begin my work with my friends at the UN, the ILO, Amnesty and so on, I will do what I do best.

I will write.

And, as I relay the information I am given, the things I learn and see during my time spent within the organizations and the travels that will ensue, I will do my very best to relay it all in a language you can understand.

Because I want you to understand.

I want you to get involved, to help change the world, to put as much energy in saving atleast the life of one child as you do in Keeping Up with the Kardashians or tuning in to the latest squabble on frigging New Jersey Housewives. I want you to be aware of what’s going on in the world and how all of it — every bit of it — affects you.

I want you to stand for something.

I want to stand for something.

So, please, tune in as I begin to share this next chapter of my life with you, as I share with you the causes and campaigns that concern us all, my views on such, and how you can get involved, too.

Stay tuned as I write in the pursuit of understanding and involvement of a new generation.

The Wonders of Coconut Oil

One of the first things I’m doing during my Third Annual Makeover Month (#MM3) at Karrine & Co.is pay special attention to my skin. Winter was rough on me – my hair, nails and skin have suffered and it’s essential I whip it all back into shape before bikini season!

My skin has been super dry all winter and during these first few weeks of spring. There are tons of ways to moisturize dry skin, but I have opted for this lightweight, naturally derived, organic way.

I have become more aware of the things I’ve been putting on my skin – as well as in my body – and to be honest, I’ve been slipping in both categories! I feel guilty when I use lotions and potions with complicated ingredients that seep into my skin, doing God knows what sort of harm! So I just wanted to use an oil. A natural, honest oil.

Anyway, enter coconut oil!

As an islander, this stuff was and is an essential part of my upbringing, culture and diet, as was every part of the coconut –– the water, the flesh, even the husk! So I guess you can say I’m going back to my roots. You can use this oil on your skin, hair, in your food and drinks –– everywhere! There are many beauty and health benefits to coconut oil and I intend on exploring them all during MM3.

Straight out of the shower or bath, massage coconut oil into your skin. It is very light, melts very easily, and a little goes a very long way. Also, you’ll smell yummy –– like a coconut tart –– which I love. In a couple days, I’ll show you how I use this oil as a hot oil treatment for my hair.

Here’s a little more information:

Why coconut oil is better than the average face moisturizer. And hair serum. And body lotion: “Commercial moisturizers contain lots of water, which makes you feel like your skin is being moisturized. But as soon as the water dries, your skin becomes dry again. Also, many commercial brands of moisturizers contain petroleum-based ingredients that can suffocate the skin. In contrast, coconut oil provides deep and real moisture. It helps strengthen underlying tissues and helps remove excessive dead cell on the skin’s surface that makes your skin rough and flaky in texture. It also great for shine and as a natural moisturizer for your hair. –Huffington Post

More skin benefits of coconut oil:

Vitamin-E: The contributions of vitamin-E towards skin are well known. It is essential for a healthy skin growth, repair of wear & tear of the skin, keeping skin smooth and protection against cracking and above all, it prevents aging and wrinkling of skin, as it has good anti-oxidant properties. 100 g of coconut oil has about 0.1 mg of vitamin E thus enhancing it skin nourishing properties.

Proteins: Like coconut, coconut oil is rich in many proteins. These proteins keep skin healthy and rejuvenated, both internally and externally.

The best property of coconut oil that makes it so great for the skin is that it does not go rancid. So when you apply it on the skin, it can work longer unlike many other oils without itself getting rancid. Due to these various beneficial properties of coconut oil, it is used as an important ingredient in several skin care creams. –Organic Facts

I suggest you do a bit more research about coconut oil and, if it suits you, pick up a jar of this stuff and include it in your beauty and diet regimen.

Item of the Day: Exclusive Juice Beauty Promo Codes!

Every April is Makeover Month at Karrine & Co.and every Makeover Month, I am sure to introduce Juice Beauty to my readers. This year, I am giving you an exclusive discount code to use during checkout!

PROMO CODES:

KARRINE15: $15 off $75 or more plus FREE sample trio

KARRINE50: $50 off $300 or more plus FREE sample trio

Orders over $125 get a FREE deluxe size Green Apple Cleansing gel

Now, for those of you who are new to Makeover Month and my devotion to Juice Beauty, let me bring you up to speed.

About fours years ago, I found myself if a really dark place. I was unhappy and unhealthy and it was written all over my face. Literally. My skin was dull and lifeless and had broken out so badly that my personal photographer refused to shoot photos of me! Stress, a poor diet, cigarettes, and vast consumption of alcohol had taken its toll and nothing I tried worked very long. Medications, being unnatural, would stop working after about six months, as my body built up defenses to chemicals.

So, as I sat in bed one early morning before dawn, I saw a commercial for Juice Beauty. It was longer than the usual 30 second spot but shorter than an infomercial. It may have been about 15 minutes long but that was long enough to convince me their products were what I needed to change my skin for the long term.

Here are a few facts about Juice Beauty that made me a believer, user, and advocate:

Most beauty products that use “organic” in their marketing use only a few organic ingredients in a water base, making the total organic content dilute and often less than 5%. Instead of the typical water base that cannot be certified “organic or pesticide free,” Juice Beauty puts over 100 USDA certified organic powerful ingredients into a 100% certified organic juice base (made from over 30 different juices) thus bringing the total organic content up to 98% in every product.

The Juice Beauty team continually searches the West Coast for the purest, most effective organic ingredients, including organic juices, aloe vera, honey, botanicals, plant oils, and raw cane sugar from farms that specialize in sustainable and organic farming. These amazing formulations are made without parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances.

These products will last me well into the fall. The promo codes above will assist with your purchases and this video will show you how I use Juice Beauty, daily. I’ll film all new, updated videos when my shipment arrives!

The mineral color tinting was spot on. This cream blended into my skin perfectly and I wore it all day without that heavy feeling other rich creams tend to create with their nasty oils and chemicals. Especially other SPF beauty creams! I can always count on Juice Beauty to give me what I need, safely and organically, which is what makes them my only beauty regiment of choice.